Two Latest and Best: Burg and Beer

What, you say, how can you possibly take a few days off at this time of year?! It's right before Thanksgiving, the biggest food holiday of the year! Worry not, dear readers, I haven't abandoned you. There's lots to talk about in the next few days and I'll get you caught up before you welcome your guests for turkey and and a fine Pinot Noir. (That's what I'm having for Thanksgiving, anyway.)

But first, let's get last week out of the way. Since it's a short week, I'm going to go with the abbreviated Three Latest and Best!

A Provocative Burgundy Dinner: There were some dedicated Burghounds at L'explorateur last Thursday for a dinner featuring a surprisingly delicious Beaujolais Nouveau (Domaine Dupeuble) and some discussion-worthy wines (at our table, anyway), including the 2002 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay and the 2004 Foillard Morgon Cru Beaujolais. Hey, I'd rather have provocative wines than a list full of old, dull favorites, so kudos to Arthur Black for answering questions like a champ. (The jury's still out on that Volnay, my friend.) One thing that wasn't debatable was the food. It was spot on as has become usual for Chef Neal Brown. The escargot and pear ravioli with mushrooms and goat cheese was hearty, earthy, and a nice pairing with the 2006 Drouhin Chassagne Montrachet. I could eat pork belly confit and tender Beef Bourgognon for every meal, and more chefs should learn the beauty of a great cheese course, this one with salty, soft cheeses, caramel, apple, and wasabi, perfectly delicious with the only 2005 of the night, a wonderfully traditional Drouhin Beanue Clos de Mouche Rouge.

My Favorite Movie Secret: Best kept secret in town? Beer specials at the IndieLounge and Keystone Art Cinema. A bucket of 4 domestics (with ice!) to carry into the theater will only set you back $10 or so, and it's scalable -- the more beers in your bucket, the more you save! (Plus Shiner Bock and Smithwick's, too) Sure, we look weird with a bucket of beers on a Sunday afternoon, but it's the only way to get through some of those depressing art flicks!